The same group also found that aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-mediated signaling pathway is responsible for the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines and expression of M2 markers from MDMs of SLE patients, as AhR agonist treatment of these cells led to a significant downregulation of M1 markers and expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, coincided with an upregulation of M2 markers and expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines (226). This evidence concerns the gene AHR and systemic lupus erythematosus.